This is Liz Reed from May 1973 Nassau Coliseum archival release Butch said was surprising how good that lineup was on certain jams but by 1975 they could barely play due to drugs, booze, alcohol and Cher.

But this May 1973 version of Liz Reed is outstanding. And when you pay attention to Lamar Williams it's no surprise when they were auditioning to replace Berry Oakley they just play three songs and Butch said "let's rehearse". I thought Lamar had an advantage because he was good friends with Jaimoe. But Lamar was simply a great bass player

[Edited on 1/25/2020 by blackey]

[Edited on 1/25/2020 by blackey]

[Edited on 1/25/2020 by blackey]

Out of curiosity how did Cher make them play badly? Was she ever on stage with them when things went sideways? I get that people don't like that Gregg married Cher but really what did she do you make them play badly? Kinda a stretch for me...since drugs and alcohol seem to really be the issue

Out of curiosity how did Cher make them play badly? Was she ever on stage with them when things went sideways? I get that people don't like that Gregg married Cher but really what did she do you make them play badly? Kinda a stretch for me...since drugs and alcohol seem to really be the issue

Well, she did put Gregg in a Mork suit:

and this:

But, true, she didn't cause any of the Allman Brothers' issues. She clearly cared for Gregg a great deal while he dealt with his own demons.

She might have been the same abstract distraction to the band as Yoko was to the Beatles - the drugs were always around & had become an issue for the band long before this - Gypsies Tramps & Thieves is a good song, & I like Cher’s version of For What It’s Worth too

Thanks for that Blackey, yes Ms Reed took just fine to Chuck & Lamar being in the band - had to wipe away a few tears at first like everyone else I suppose, but time heals as they say - the NYE Cow Palace one as well, that whole show is Top Notch

[Edited on 1/25/2020 by Stephen]

Goldtop. As I understand it and apparently what Butch was referring is Gregg Allman refusing to rehearse and record with the band because Gregg became focused on Cher and his relationship with her. Not that Cher was actively involved with the band. This eventually led to Butch being quoted widely in the press " You can't depend on Gregg Allman for anything". The Gregg/Cher saga was on the front page of every tabloid coast to coast. Cher was a superstar back then. Butch opined this behavior would not last 5 seconds with Duane Allman. But Duane Allman being gone is precisely why Gregg Allman and Berry Oakley began to struggle with life and drugs. Additionally Gregg getting so upset the band would not allow Queen of Hearts on Brothers and Sisters and Gregg just lost his feeling of commitment to the ABB. They shelved the band in 1976 but in 1978 Dickey and Gregg were wanting to work together again. This cycle continued into the future but after 2000 I thought it finally ended permanently between Gregg and Dickey but by 2015 Gregg missed Dickey and wanted to play again. It never happened but I still remember solo Gregg surprising me in 2015 when he said just before Southbound "Here's a song written by Mr. Dickey Betts!"

Now in Gregg's book Gregg does give high marks for the 1973 band and how he enjoyed the band during the 1973 shows.

The 1973 lineup because of the unexpected success of Brothers and Sisters being number 1 for 5 weeks and selling over 4 million copies became the biggest rock band in America. As big as the Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd. But they let it slip through their fingers. Maybe they didn't really want to be that popular. Gregg and Dickey focused on solo shows and apparently were not ready to follow up Brothers and Sisters when they began Win, Loose or Draw.

It was rather sad in away when I was going to see Gregg and Dickey solo in bars and small clubs in 1985. They had fallen back to clubs.

For a jazz style, the 1973 band was really sensational. Too bad they never recorded an album of instrumentals while they were as hot as 1973 because it didn't last long. In 1974 they seemed to be jaded and uninspired and just played about 20 shows between spring and fall Gregg Allman and fall Dickey Betts solo shows.

I know from record promo men Capricorn and Phil Walden were very frustrated with Gregg and Dickey not building on the incredible success 1973 brought but hoped the 1975 album would score big too for the label and the band and show they didnt blow it after all but it didnt. It didn't even sell 1 million copies much less over 4 million. Indeed they never again had a huge selling album after Brothers and Sisters. The era of the Allman Brothers being on par with The Rolling Stones or Pink Floyd or even Chicago at superstardom was over by 1975 and although they made a nice comeback in 1989 to 2014, selling out shows and selling albums like the Stones or Pink Floyd or The Eagles was gone.

don’t forget the 1979 comeback too, Enlightened Rogues might’ve been their top-selling post-B&S album
But the hellhound was on their trail - while everyone was loving the new record & flocking to shows, Capricorn Studios went belly-up leading to lawsuits, hard feelings & the loss of some $1 million to each of the four original members, according to Scott Freeman’s book

Goldtop. As I understand it and apparently what Butch was referring is Gregg Allman refusing to rehearse and record with the band because Gregg became focused on Cher and his relationship with her. Not that Cher was actively involved with the band. This eventually led to Butch being quoted widely in the press " You can't depend on Gregg Allman for anything". The Gregg/Cher saga was on the front page of every tabloid coast to coast. Cher was a superstar back then. Butch opined this behavior would not last 5 seconds with Duane Allman. But Duane Allman being gone is precisely why Gregg Allman and Berry Oakley began to struggle with life and drugs. Additionally Gregg getting so upset the band would not allow Queen of Hearts on Brothers and Sisters and Gregg just lost his feeling of commitment to the ABB. They shelved the band in 1976 but in 1978 Dickey and Gregg were wanting to work together again. This cycle continued into the future but after 2000 I thought it finally ended permanently between Gregg and Dickey but by 2015 Gregg missed Dickey and wanted to play again. It never happened but I still remember solo Gregg surprising me in 2015 when he said just before Southbound "Here's a song written by Mr. Dickey Betts!"

Now in Gregg's book Gregg does give high marks for the 1973 band and how he enjoyed the band during the 1973 shows.

The 1973 lineup because of the unexpected success of Brothers and Sisters being number 1 for 5 weeks and selling over 4 million copies became the biggest rock band in America. As big as the Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd. But they let it slip through their fingers. Maybe they didn't really want to be that popular. Gregg and Dickey focused on solo shows and apparently were not ready to follow up Brothers and Sisters when they began Win, Loose or Draw.

It was rather sad in away when I was going to see Gregg and Dickey solo in bars and small clubs in 1985. They had fallen back to clubs.

For a jazz style, the 1973 band was really sensational. Too bad they never recorded an album of instrumentals while they were as hot as 1973 because it didn't last long. In 1974 they seemed to be jaded and uninspired and just played about 20 shows between spring and fall Gregg Allman and fall Dickey Betts solo shows.

I know from record promo men Capricorn and Phil Walden were very frustrated with Gregg and Dickey not building on the incredible success 1973 brought but hoped the 1975 album would score big too for the label and the band and show they didnt blow it after all but it didnt. It didn't even sell 1 million copies much less over 4 million. Indeed they never again had a huge selling album after Brothers and Sisters. The era of the Allman Brothers being on par with The Rolling Stones or Pink Floyd or even Chicago at superstardom was over by 1975 and although they made a nice comeback in 1989 to 2014, selling out shows and selling albums like the Stones or Pink Floyd or The Eagles was gone.

I would think that Cher, being a performer, would have wanted Gregg to go to rehearsals. What ever Gregg did is on him. I doubt she held him back from being involved. He didn't want to be involved for many reasons, drugs being the biggest and the very reason their relationship ended. She's a non drug/drinker and thought she could clean him up. He'd disappear on her for days at a time binging on smack and alcohol. This wasn't a yoko person she already had her own success. Had way more money and business influence. I remember Gregg on the S&C show doing midnight rider. This was just a bad time for the band in general

You are right Goldtop. Bad time. And it's tragic it happened so soon after they suddenly became the number one band in America. Selling out coliseums coast to coast and their album number 1 out of 200 on Billboard album chart for 5 weeks.

It's analogous to finding out how unhappy Marilyn Monroe was when she was the most popular woman in America and the subject of many men's dreams.

Or someone telling you they became unhappy after they became a millionaire.

Gregg found himself in America's number one band, a solo album with Queen of Hearts on it selling over 800,000 copies, married to a major American star and he unraveled and let the ABB and Cher suffer. But the ABB had other reasons they folded just after hitting the big time. Perhaps if Duane had lived things would be different. And maybe Duane could have gotten his teeth fixed with all that money pouring in. When you could be close to the front row, Duane looked as if he had some tooth decay when he talked. Duane was like a hurricane on stage. So much energy. I know it's hard to believe and I say it too much, but there was an energy and swagger the band had live that they never had again after Duane. Gregg, Jaimoe and Butch said that too at various times.

[Edited on 1/25/2020 by blackey]

Oh by the way that is a awesome version of E Reed....Chuck is simply the best rock pianist/keyboard player I've heard and his solo on this version is outstanding. I kinda like the smoother sound of this incarnation. Would have loved to hear Chuck with the original 6

Yes it is an outstanding version of E. Reed. Not as powerful as Fillmore East but this version is all jazz. And Jaimoe and Lamar Williams are wonderful backing Chuck and Gregg's solos. Butch is cool too but its Jaimoe that really shines and understandably so because jazz is his bag. No wonder Chuck Leavell grabbed Jaimoe and Lamar Williams for Sea Level when the ABB ground to a temporary halt in spring of 1976.